Biggest Celeb Stories of 2011
What an eventful year it's been! The stories that have made us
gasp, smile and cry
Rex FeaturesDemi Moore & Ashton Kutcher split
Demi Moore was the poster woman for cougars everywhere after bagging the exceedingly yummy Ashton Kutcher in 2005. Sadly, the marriage came to an end this year, as Demi filed for divorce after weeks of cheating allegations and ambiguous Twitter messages.
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WennLeonardo DiCaprio & Blake Lively hook-up (and break-up)
We couldn’t quite contain our excitement when Hollywood heavyweight Leonardo DiCaprio was spotted canoodling on a yacht in Cannes with leggy beauty Blake Lively. Dinner dates and an Australian trip followed, but we were left contemplating what might have been when Blake’s rep confirmed that their short-lived romance was over.
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PA PhotosAmy Winehouse’s death
The world was left in shock after Amy Winehouse was found dead, aged just 27, in July. After a lengthy inquiry, the coroner found the singer’s blood alcohol content was five times the legal drink-drive limit. In her memory, her family has founded the Amy Winehouse Foundation to help young people suffering from addiction.
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Rex FeaturesCheryl’s X-It Factor
Elocution lessons to get rid of her Geordie accent, battles with Simon and Paula, homesickness... It was all reported in the run-up to Cheryl Cole’s dramatic exit from US X Factor. She went undercover afterwards, emerging with a new hairdo no less, but we’ll have to wait till 2012 to see what she’s got planned next.
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Bigpicturesphoto.comFrankie Cocozza gets the boot
Cheryl wasn’t the only one saying goodbye to the X Factor. British contestant Frankie Cocozza broke the show’s “golden rule” (we’re still not 100 per cent sure what this is), and former reject Amelia Lily took his spot.
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PA PhotosRoyal Wedding
Britain was united in celebration in April, and it wasn’t just because we all got an extra day off work. Kate Middleton married Prince William, making the monarchy cool again – and all of us a little bit jealous.
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PA PhotosKate Moss ties the knot
She’s dated Johnny Depp and been engaged to Pete Doherty, but Kate Moss finally called time on being single when she married The Kills frontman Jamie Hince. The wedding was Gatsby-themed and the bride wore lace, and lots of it, on her John Galliano wedding dress.
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Bigpicturesphoto.comRise of Made In Chelsea
We might have laughed a little bit at their uber posh names but it wasn’t long before we were hooked on this not-so-real reality TV show. Would Caggie and Spencer get together? Would Francis Boulle ever impress a girl with his skateboard? Did Millie or Hugo cheat first? It was all very silly but we loved every minute.
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PA PhotosThe Necker heroine
Kate Winslet’s always been a star on the screen, but the Oscar winner showed she’s a heroine in real life as well when she rescued Richard Branson’s elderly mother during the Necker Island fire. “I ran into the bedroom and put on a bra,” the actress revealed later. “In disastrous moments like that, you do the strangest things.”
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PA PhotosBrad Pitt on “boring” Jennifer Aniston
It’s been six years but we were all still talking about Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston’s marriage – thanks partly to some rather unfortunate comments from the Moneyball star. "I started to get sick of myself sitting on a couch, holding a joint, hiding out. It started feeling pathetic… I think that my marriage [to Aniston] had something to do with it. Trying to pretend the marriage was something that it wasn't," he said. Cue lots of back-tracking and apologies to his ex-wife.
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WennJanuary Jones’ love child
January Jones took everyone by surprise when she announced she was pregnant in May. In a somewhat Mad Men twist, she refrained from confirming the identity of the baby’s father and welcomed little Xander Dane Jones in September.
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PA PhotosKim Kardashian’s 72-day marriage
Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries’ 72-day marriage was short, even by Hollywood standards. Only a few weeks after the camera crews had left and the confetti cleared away, the couple announced that they were filing for divorce. Not before they had renewed their vows on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, however.
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Bigpicturesphoto.comKimberly Stewart & Benicio del Toro’s baby
Kimberly Stewart and Benicio del Toro? You wouldn’t have been able to put money on it last year but this unlikely pairing hit headlines this year after they confirmed Kimberly was pregnant following “a brief fling”. Delilah Genoveva Stewart del Toro was given a suitably Hollywood name and was born in September.
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PA PhotosPippa Middleton mania
Pippa Middleton and her derriére were catapulted into superstardom following her appearance in that dress at the Royal Wedding. We loved Kate but Pippa, with her supersonic smile, all-over tan and preppy fashion sense, became our (and our boyfriends’) guilty pleasure.
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Bigpicturesphoto.comThe Beckhams have a girl!
The Beckhams didn’t disappoint with the name of baby No. 4 (and girl No. 1). Harper Seven Beckham was born in July but it wasn’t long before she was seen on the front row of New York Fashion Week and out shopping with her mum.
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PA PhotosBeyoncé’s pregnancy
Beyoncé Knowles announced her pregnancy in style, turning up to the MTV Video Music Awards sporting a noticeable baby bump. After performing Love On Top, the singer unzipped her jacket and rubbed her stomach to the delight of a cheering crowd. The babe, rumoured to be a girl, can expect a life of luxury when she’s born in February; Jay-Z and Beyoncé are reportedly creating a 2200-sq ft nursery in their Tribeca apartment.
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PA PhotosJustin Bieber’s paternity woes
Justin Bieber’s squeaky-clean image was momentarily tarnished when Mariah Yeater claimed that he had fathered her 20-month baby during a tryst in some toilets after an LA concert. The claim quickly fell apart when Justin said he would take a DNA test to prove his innocence and we “beliebed” him.
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Rex FeaturesScarlett Johansson’s naked photos
Scarlett Johansson was left a little red faced after naked photos of her emerged on the internet. The actress, who called the leak “unjust”, called in the FBI to investigate and uncovered the alleged hacker as Christopher Chaney.
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WennKatie Price marriage break-up
Probably the least surprising story of 2011 was that Katie Price ended her relationship with cage-fighter-turned-Celebrity-Big-Brother-winner Alex Reid. And apparently, it cost her £700K.
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WennSienna & Jude split (for good this time)
There was no happy Valentine’s Day for Sienna Miller and Jude Law this year as, after numerous break-ups and reconciliations, the pair finally called it a day on their relationship. While Jude is happy being single, Sienna has started dating another handsome actor (she does have a type!) in the shape of Tom Sturridge.
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PA PhotosLily Allen becomes a wife & a mum
2011 really did seem like the year of the celebrity wedding! Lily Allen kept up the trend by marrying boyfriend Sam Cooper in June – but the singer had a little surprise in store for us. During the speeches, her new hubby announced that she was pregnant and the singer gave birth to a baby girl in November.
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Rex FeaturesColin Firth’s Oscar win
After missing out for A Single Man, Colin Firth finally scored gold this year as he picked up a Best Actor Oscar for The King’s Speech. "I have to warn you that I am experiencing stirrings somewhere in the upper abdominals that are threatening to form themselves into dance moves,” he told the audience.
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Rex FeaturesRhythmix become Little Mix
We might have loved their catchy songs and dance moves but X Factor hopefuls Rhythmix were forced to reinvent themselves after it emerged that there was a music charity of the same name. A week later, Little Mix was born.
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WennCatherine Zeta-Jones treated for bipolar disorder
After a difficult 2010, which saw husband Michael Douglas diagnosed with throat cancer, Catherine Zeta-Jones was admitted into a clinic to be treated for Bipolar II disorder. The five-day stint apparently left her “feeling great and looking forward to starting work this week on her two upcoming films”.
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Rex FeaturesThe End of Harry Potter
This year we said goodbye to Harry, Ron and Hermione – but not before the Harry Potter fans took over London for the biggest premiere the capital has ever seen, which included a red carpet that went all the way around Trafalgar and Leicester Squares.
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Rex FeaturesCharlie Sheen madness
We could barely keep up with Charlie Sheen’s antics in the first half of 2011. There was the dramatic sacking from Two And A Half Men, the Goddesses, the bizarre Twitter rants and the Tiger’s Blood (whatever that is!).
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PA PhotosMichael Jackson trial
Three years after Michael Jackson’s death saw the trial of his doctor Conrad Murray. The singer’s personal physician was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to four years in jail. The trial’s judge said Murray showed “no sense of fault, and is and remains dangerous”.
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PA PhotosHugh Grant’s love child
Hugh Grant proved to be a bit of a dark horse after his spokesman revealed in November that the actor had become a dad following a “fleeting affair” with Chinese actress Tinglan Hong. The Bridget Jones star apparently visited his baby daughter, named Jessica, the day after her birth and is “on very friendly terms” with her mother.
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Wenn/ITV2Sam Faiers’ attack
TOWIE fans were left reeling after Sam Faiers and her sister were brutally attacked by a gang of girls in Chigwell. Sam needed an emergency brain scan after the ordeal, which saw her being kicked and punched after having her handbag and mobile phone stolen. Thankfully, the TOWIE star was left without any permanent injuries but she has reportedly hired a team of bodyguards to protect her in future.
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Breaking Dawn sex scene
After watching them barely kiss for three films, Breaking Dawn was when we finally got to see Bella and Edward have – whisper it – sex! There was Robert Pattinson’s naked chest, pillow-biting and lots of hormones, but we couldn’t help but wonder what the original R-Rated version had been like.
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WennJ-Lo & Marc Anthony are no more
Jennifer Lopez called time on her third marriage in 2011 as she split from Marc Anthony after seven years. "It is a painful time for all involved, and we appreciate the respect of our privacy at this time," the couple said in a statement. Since the break-up, J-Lo has been linked to ex P Diddy, Bradley Cooper and backing dancer Casper Smart.
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PA PhotosBeyoncé at Glasto
There were a few raised eyebrows when it was announced that Beyoncé was headlining the Glastonbury this year but the singer put on one of the most memorable shows the festival has ever seen and even sceptics admitted she had been bootylicious.
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WennPhone Hacking
The true extent of the phone hacking emerged this year as it was alleged that murder victims and 7/7 survivors as well as celebrities were targeted by the News Of The World. Sienna Miller, Charlotte Church and Hugh Grant all appeared in front of the Leveson Inquiry to give evidence, and the paper in question was dramatically closed down.
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PA PhotosArnie’s love child
A week after splitting from his wife of 25 years, Maria Shriver, Arnold Schwarzenegger went public with the news that he fathered a love child with his former housekeeper. Maybe Arnie “will be back” but, with both Maria and he consulting divorce lawyers, this seems unlikely.
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Rex FeaturesLindsay Lohan’s jail time
It’s been on the cards for a while now but 2011 finally saw Lindsay Lohan’s misdemeanours catch up with her. In October, the actress was sentenced to 30 days in jail and 400 hours of community service after breaking the terms of her probation. Fortunately for her, she spent less than five hours in jail due to overcrowding. We just hope she’s learnt her lesson.
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PA PhotosR-Patz is World’s Sexiest Man
Another year, another Sexiest Man triumph for Robert Pattinson. After 40,000 votes were cast, the Twilight star emerged (yet again) as the clear winner for the third year running. Swoon.
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Rex FeaturesJohn Galliano scandal
The fashion world was left in shock when one of its star designers, John Galliano, was accused of anti-Semitism after a drunken rant in a Parisian bar. Dior dismissed the designer and he was found guilty of making public insults on account of race in September. He is now rumoured to be in rehab in Arizona.
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PA PhotosSuper-injunctions
Few people really knew what a super-injunction was till 2011. But, after a few naughty footballers were outed, the phrase started trending on Twitter and being talked about in the House Of Commons. #SavingRyansPrivates.
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PA PhotosElizabeth Taylor RIP
Following a long illness, Elizabeth Taylor passed away in March this year, after suffering congestive heart failure. Hollywood lost one of its most beautiful and colourful icons and stars ranging from Russell Crowe to Victoria Beckham paid tribute.
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PA PhotosLady Gaga’s Grammy egg
We’d already had the meat dress and an egg was the dish of choice for Lady Gaga this year as the wacky star turned up to the Grammys in a giant “incubation” egg. The embryo was fitted with an oxygen tank and a fan and Gaga was contained in it for three hours before emerging to perform. Talk about making an entrance.
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WennNew X Factor line-up
X Factor had an overhaul this year as Simon, Cheryl and Dannii were replaced by Gary, Kelly and Tulisa. Would they be as entertaining as their predecessors? Oh, yeah – sexy Gary Barlow had us a little bit weak at the knees.
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